Emirates NBD, Dubai's biggest bank, has announced that its debit and credit card customers can now pay via Google Pay.

As contactless payments gain popularity in the UAE, the bank, which is investing AED1 billion banking and payments technology, said it has taken the lead in supporting new, easy and accessible ways to pay.

Users can load their card details directly to their Google Pay wallet, making it a safer and more convenient transaction method.

Girish Nanda, general manager, UAE & Oman at Mastercard, added: “The UAE remains at the forefront of digital transformation and the launch of Google Pay reinforces the country’s commitment to driving the shift towards a cashless society.”

Shahebaz Khan, Visa’s group country manager for UAE, said: “The rapid shift to mobile and digital is having a profound impact on our business, our industry and our partners including banks and merchants. With the launch of Google Pay, Visa is bringing all mobile payment options to merchants and empowering them to accept payments from consumers regardless of what device the consumer uses at payment terminals.”